Apollodorus (servant of Cleopatra)

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Apollodorus was a loyal follower of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra VII. 48 BC. He is said to have made it possible for his mistress to go to Gaius Julius Caesar's palace in Alexandria's palace and thus her position in the power struggle with her brother Ptolemy XIII. to strengthen decisively.

When Caesar in the summer of 48 BC BC landed in Alexandria, he invited the two warring Ptolemaic siblings to submit to his decision. Ptolemy XIII, who at that time faced an army of Cleopatra on the Egyptian border near Pelusion , went to Caesar first.

Cleopatra initially had her point of view represented through negotiators, but, according to the historian Cassius Dio, quickly came to the conclusion that by appearing in person, she could win over the Roman ruler with her charm and charming appearance. From Caesar she received the promise of a confidential interview.

Apparently Ptolemy XIII tried to block his sister's access to Alexandria. Plutarch tells of her adventurous trip to the Egyptian capital. After that she chose only one confidant from her entourage, Apollodorus, who came from Sicily . With him she went on the way to Alexandria. When she got near it, according to the Roman poet Lucan , she is said to have bribed a guard to loosen the chains in the port of Pharos. In any case, she reached the port of Alexandria by sea because both Plutarch and Lucan report that she moored in a boat unnoticed near the royal palace. According to Plutarch, this already happened at dusk, and the Greek biographer further explains that Cleopatra, since she had no other way of getting to Caesar, lay down in a bed sack or carpet, tied the Apollodorus with straps and passed the guards in the Palace. In this way the Egyptian queen succeeded in getting to the Roman general and winning him over through this bold action alone. The credibility of this episode is disputed in research. In any case, it is historically certain that Cleopatra received Caesar's support through her personal appearance.

Nothing else has come down to us about Apollodorus.

Stewart Granger played the role of Apollodorus in the 1945 film adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's play, Caesar and Cleopatra, and was in love with Cleopatra. Furthermore, the person of Apollodorus was portrayed by Cesare Danova in the classic film Cleopatra from 1963, in which Elizabeth Taylor played the Egyptian queen.

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ Cassius Dio 42, 34, 3-6.
  2. ↑ Plutarch, Caesar 49, 1.
  3. ↑ Lucan, Pharsalia 10, 56f. (which probably goes back to the historical work of Titus Livius ).
  4. ↑ Plutarch, Caesar 49, 1; Lucan, Pharsalia 10, 57f.
  5. ↑ Plutarch, Caesar 49, 2f .; see. Cassius Dio 42, 34, 6 - 35, 1.
personal data
SURNAME Apollodorus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Servant of Cleopatra VII.
DATE OF BIRTH 1st century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 1st century BC Chr.